Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – Genesis 3:2-6 – Be Like God – Growing As Disciples
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:2-6 (NIV)
Enticed And Allured
What looks good to you? That is quite a broad question. I’m sure that you know what I have in mind. There is no reason to play dumb with me. I will ask you the same question a little less broadly. How are you most likely to be enticed by evil and allured into sinning. Don’t think that is an unimportant question. It is a vitally important question. Why is that? You tell me. I do know my own vulnerabilities. I do know when and where and how I am most likely to be enticed and allured into sinning. Only an unthinking fool would not know when and where and why and how they are most likely to be enticed and allured into temptations to sin. Tell me more about that. First of all, I know that enticing and alluring temptations will come through my senses. Something evil may look or sound or feel good. Next, enticing and alluring temptations will try to enter into my heart and mind. Once enticing and alluring temptations have been able to enter into my heart and mind the battle is mostly over. How so? I don’t have the power and strength to hang around temptation. It will never be wise for me to engage in an enticing and alluring conversation with evil. Why is that? It is very unlikely that I will ever be able to walk away from alluring and enticing conversations with evil. Once the conversation and debate has been allowed to grow in my heart and mind I‘m done. I will have been taken captive by evil. I will have given into temptation. I will have entered into sin. Temptation is that powerful? Evil is that enticing and alluring? It is a deadly mistake to think otherwise. That sounds like your voice of experience. It is.
What will you do instead of entering into a conversation with evil? First, I will not knowingly allow myself to be in obviously tempting situations. I won’t go where evil is poised and ready to attack me. Next, I will run away from evil when I see it approaching. I will not give evil one second to check it out. Where will you run? That’s a good question. Why is that? It is simply not enough to run from evil. Evil can run to. Evil can fine me. So, I will run to you. I will run to you, so I can come under your protection. I will submit my heart and mind and life to you. As I do, I will resist evil and it will flee from me. Yes, it will. You can be very sure of that. For that, I am very thankful. That is very good.
Lord, I know that if I hang around and engage in a conversation with evil and temptation I won’t win. Something alluring about the temptation will entice and trap me. Instead of hanging around evil, I will run away from it. I will run to you for your protection Amen
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Spiritual Warfare – Genesis 3-2-6 – Be Like God – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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